Europe Data Response Euro-zone Retail Sales (Dec.) & Composite PMI (Jan.) Whilst December’s retail sales data suggested that consumers showed little festive cheer, January’s final composite PMI survey indicated that the wider euro-zone recovery may have gained a little... 5th February 2014 · 1 min read
Nordic & Swiss Economics Update Should Sweden be worried about deflation? Sweden is less at risk from a prolonged and damaging bout of deflation than the euro-zone, despite the fact that CPI inflation is currently lower in the former. 5th February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Deflation dangers are greater this time While a bout of deflation in the euro-zone back in 2009 proved to be short-lived and harmless, there are reasons why a new episode of falling prices would be longer-lasting and more damaging. 4th February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Third bail-out will not solve all of Greece's problems The news that Germany is drawing up plans for another support package for Greece, suggests that policymakers are gradually resolving some of the problems surrounding Greece’s current bail-out deal... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Weekly How will market volatility threaten the euro-zone? We doubt that the recent financial market sell-off in parts of the emerging world will be a catalyst for a renewed intensification of the euro-zone crisis. But the events underline the potential... 3rd February 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone Flash CPI (Jan.) & Unemployment (Dec.) The latest euro-zone unemployment and inflation data maintained the pressure on the ECB to do more to ward off deflation risks, perhaps as soon as next week. 31st January 2014 · 1 min read
ECB Watch ECB needs to follow words with action With the strong euro maintaining the risk of deflation in the euro-zone and inter-bank interest rates edging higher, the ECB’s Governing Council will need to follow up President Mario Draghi’s dovish... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Dire household finances pose two risks for Greece Although the risk of a “Grexit” has diminished substantially, we think that the dire financial position of Greek households has the potential to trigger a renewed intensification of the country’s... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update How good is the outlook for Copenhagen property? Evidence of a budding economic recovery and a comparatively high level of property yields have boosted investor interest in Copenhagen. There are reasons not to get carried away. But the upside risks... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Euro-zone EC Survey & ECB Bank Lending Survey (Jan.) The rise in the European Commission’s Economic Sentiment Indicator (ESI) in January echoed the message of other closely watched euro-zone survey indicators that the economic recovery is building... 30th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response Belgian GDP (Q4) Today’s Q4 GDP figures indicate that the weak Belgian recovery is gradually taking hold, but we expect growth to remain unspectacular for a while yet. 29th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Monetary Indicators Monitor (Dec.13) Euro-zone bank lending remained very weak in December, suggesting that the banking sector is still a significant drag on the region’s recovery. 29th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update Euro-zone Fiscal Monitor (Jan.) The latest fiscal data suggest that, last year, the smaller peripheral economies made significantly better fiscal progress than Italy or Spain. 29th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Economics Update ECB loan buying plan won't dampen deflation risks Hints from Mario Draghi that the European Central Bank (ECB) may consider purchasing bank loans do not reduce the growing risks of deflation in the euro-zone. 28th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Commercial Property Update Time to reassess the outlook for peripheral property yields? Strong investment market activity in the fourth quarter, particularly in Spain and other peripheral markets, suggests that our 2014 forecast for unchanged yields in most euro-zone property markets may... 28th January 2014 · 1 min read
Europe Data Response German Ifo Survey (Jan.) January’s Ifo survey supported the message from other recent evidence that the German economy has started the new year with a reasonable amount of momentum. 27th January 2014 · 1 min read